Oil leakage recovery system for gas turbine engine

Abstract

An oil leakage recovery system for recovering leaked oil in an oil system of a gas turbine engine The oil leakage recovery system includes a collecting reservoir having an inlet opening and an outlet opening each communicating with the oil system, a piston operatively mounted with the collecting reservoir and movable between a first position in which the piston is disposed away from the outlet opening to allow oil to leak from the collecting reservoir to the oil system and a second position in which the piston blocks the outlet opening to impede oil leaking from the collecting reservoir from the collecting reservoir to the oil system, and a pressure-controlled actuator system configured to move the piston to the first position when a pressure of the oil system is below a threshold pressure value and to the second position when the pressure of the oil system is above the threshold pressure value.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An oil leakage recovery system for recovering leaked oil in an oil system of a gas turbine engine, the oil leakage recovery system comprising:
 a collecting reservoir extending from an upper portion to a lower portion relative to a horizontal placement of the gas turbine engine relative to the ground in a parked aircraft, the upper portion having an inlet opening and the lower portion being close ended and configured to collect and hold the leaked oil therein by gravity through a first flow path between the inlet opening and the lower portion, the collecting reservoir having an outlet opening disposed between the inlet opening and lower portion, the outlet opening providing access to a second flow path separate from the first flow path, the inlet opening and the outlet opening being configured to communicate with the oil system; 
 a piston operatively mounted with the collecting reservoir between the upper portion and the lower portion, the piston movable between a first position in which the piston is disposed away from the outlet opening to allow oil to leak from the collecting reservoir to the oil system through the second flow path and a second position in which the piston blocks the second flow path to impede oil leaking from the collecting reservoir to the oil system; and 
 a pressure-controlled actuator system configured to move the piston to the first position when a pressure of the oil system is below a threshold pressure value and to the second position when the pressure of the oil system is above the threshold pressure value. 
 
     
     
       2. The oil leakage recovery system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-controlled actuator system includes a bias member urging the piston towards the first position. 
     
     
       3. The oil leakage recovery system as defined in  claim 1 , comprising a filter disposed in the collecting reservoir and configured to block oil contaminants in the oil leaking towards the piston. 
     
     
       4. The oil leakage recovery system as defined in  claim 1 , comprising an access cover covering an access opening located on a surface of the collecting reservoir and providing direct access to the collecting reservoir. 
     
     
       5. The oil leakage recovery system as defined in  claim 1 , comprising a housing mounted to the collecting reservoir, the housing for housing the piston and a filter, the filter being configured to block oil contaminants in the oil leaking towards the piston. 
     
     
       6. The oil leakage recovery system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-controlled actuator system is configured to be connected to a conduit which is adapted to be pressurized by the oil system, the pressure-controlled actuator system is activated via a pressure inside the conduit to displace the piston towards the second position when the pressure inside the conduit is above the threshold pressure value. 
     
     
       7. The oil leakage recovery system as defined in  claim 1 , comprising a drain opening located at a lower part of the collecting reservoir for draining the collecting reservoir. 
     
     
       8. The oil leakage recovery system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the piston forms part of a valve connecting the collecting reservoir and the oil system. 
     
     
       9. A gas turbine engine comprising:
 at least one internal combustion engine; 
 an oil system including an oil reservoir fluidly connected to the internal combustion engine for lubricating the internal combustion engine; and 
 an oil leakage recovery system fluidly connected to the oil system for recovering leaked oil in the oil system, the oil leakage recovery system including:
 a collecting reservoir extending from an upper portion to a lower portion relative to a horizontal placement of the gas turbine engine relative to the ground in a parked aircraft, the upper portion having an inlet opening and the lower portion being close ended and configured to collect and hold the leaked oil therein by gravity through a first flow path between the inlet opening and the lower portion, the collecting reservoir having an outlet opening disposed between the inlet opening and lower portion, the outlet opening providing access to a second flow path separate from the first flow path, the inlet opening and the outlet opening communicating with the oil system; 
 
 a piston operatively mounted with the collecting reservoir between the upper portion and the lower portion, the piston movable to a first position in which the piston is disposed away from the outlet opening to allow oil to leak from the collecting reservoir to the oil system through the second flow path and a second position in which the piston blocks second flow path to impede oil leaking from the collecting reservoir to the oil system; and 
 a pressure-controlled actuator system configured to move the piston to the first position when a pressure of the oil system is below a threshold pressure value and to the second position when the pressure of the oil system is above the threshold pressure value. 
 
     
     
       10. The gas turbine engine as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the pressure-controlled actuator system includes a bias member urging the piston towards the first position. 
     
     
       11. The gas turbine engine as defined in  claim 9 , comprising a filter disposed in the collecting reservoir and configured to block oil contaminants in the oil leaking towards the piston. 
     
     
       12. The gas turbine engine as defined in  claim 9 , comprising an access cover covering an access opening located on a surface of the collecting reservoir and providing direct access to the collecting reservoir. 
     
     
       13. The gas turbine engine as defined in  claim 9 , comprising a housing mounted to the collecting reservoir, the housing for housing the piston and a filter, the filter being configured to block oil contaminants in the oil leaking towards the piston. 
     
     
       14. The gas turbine engine as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the pressure-controlled actuator system is connected to a conduit which is adapted to be pressurized by the oil system, the pressure-controlled actuator system is activated via a pressure inside the conduit to displace the piston towards the second position when the pressure inside the conduit is above the threshold pressure value. 
     
     
       15. The gas turbine engine as defined in  claim 9 , comprising a drain opening located at a lower part of the collecting reservoir for draining the collecting reservoir. 
     
     
       16. The gas turbine engine as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the piston forms part of a valve connecting the collecting reservoir and the oil system.